Printing or like machines



March 2l, 1961 Filed May l, 1959 W. F. GOLDING PRINTING OR LIKE MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 21, 1961 W, F, GOLDING 2,975,917

PRINTING OR LIKE MACHINES March 21, 1961 w. F. GoLDING Filed May l, 1959 PRINTING OR LIKE MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 2l, 1961 w. F. GOLDING 2,975,917

PRINTING 0R LIKE MACHINES Filed May l, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 23 *I I I I I I III 2 /I9 I 29 II |I l f .l

T 32\ I I I I /4 I- I I 45 I I I I I 37 j 2/ if I 33 I 8 --IF I II I I I I I III I l I I I I I I .-30 I I I V' f; "I I I /35 L 'f' I r n 1 I I I- I I I E I I 7 39 Y I l E I www PRns'rnsG 0R LIKE MACHINES William Frank Golding, 22 Parrys Close, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, England Filed May 1, 1959, Ser. No. 810,331

Claims priority, application Great Britain May 6, 1958 9 Claims. (Cl. j214-95) This invention relates to printing or like machines of the kind comprising cooperating platens provided with plate-shaped tools for working on sheet material fed into position therebetween and wherein at least one of the tools is horizontally withdrawable from its operative posi tion on the associated platen into an inoperative position clear of Vtthe platen. In the inoperative position the tool plate is then accessible for servicing. For example, the tool may comprise a cutting and creasing forme requiring make-ready or requiring occasional repair of the cut'- ting and creasing rules, and it will be appreciated that while make-ready is carried out at the back of the forme, repair of the rules is done =at the working face of the forme. This means that an operationally downwardly facing forme has to be turned over after withdrawal from the platen when it is required to have convenient access to the rules. Further, it is desirable for servicing that the tool be supported at a level which is convenient for the operator and without the need for the operator having to stand on a raised platform. In relatively large presses the level at which the tool is situated during operation is such that although the tool is accessible after withdrawal, the level at which it is accessible is too high for servicing by an operator standing on the door on which the press is mounted. To provide a raised platform for the operator to stand on is not a good solution because in view of the necessary size such a platform would have to be a permanent installation and would obstruct desirable gangway alongside the press.

The main object of this invention is to provide means for overcoming the diliiculties discussed and to make possible the turning over and servicing of the tool plate at a level below the operational level of the tool plate.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a press of the kind discussed means for supporting the tool plate `for said turning over in a convenient manner and yin a way whereby these means do not obstruct gangway alongside the press when these means are not in use.

According to this invention a press for working on sheet material comprises a platen, a substantially plateshaped tool ordinarily supported in an operative position on the platen at a rst level, the tool being withdrawable from the operative position in a horizontal direction into an inoperative position clear of the platen, tirst support means tor supporting the tool in the withdrawn position at said first level, second support means for supporting the tool at a second level situated below said rst level, means for lowering' the iirst support means thereby to lower the plate to said second level and depose the plate on the second support means, and means for connecting the tool to the second support means for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the direction in which the tool is withdrawable from the platen.

One form of apparatus according to this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cutting and creasing p'ress embodying the apparatus according to -this invention.

atent C) 2,975,917 i Patented Mar. 2l, 1961 Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line II'-II in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-Q-III in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 Kis an enlarged section on the line IV--IV in Fig. 3.

Fig; 5 is a plan view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line VI-VI in Fig. 5.

F Fig. 7 Yis y'an enlarged section on the line VII- VII in Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a 'press 10 (Figs. 1, 3 and 5V) comprises a platen 11 situated between and secured to l'a pair of side frames 112, 13, and a platen 11a supported by the cfrarnes 12, 13` for reciprocating movement relative to the platen 11.

A plate-shaped Vtool 14 comprising a chase 15 containing a cutting and creasing forme 16 (Fig. 6) is securable to the platen 11 in a downwardly facing position, and the franie 12 is provided with an opening 17 through which the `t'oo'l 1'4 can be withdrawn from the platen 11 into a position outside the frame 11 and' vice versa. The drawings show the tool as supported in a position below the level in which it is withdrawable from the platen 11, but Fig. 3 'also indicates in chain-dotted lines the position occupied by the tool 14 in the course of withdrawal there of from the platen 11. Outside the fratrie 11 there are provided `a pair of brackets 18 each provided with rollers 18a positioned to support the tool 14 in the withdrawn position. The brackets 18 are each connected to a slide 19 movable in a guide 20 secured to the frame 12. Each slide 19 comprises a nut 21 engaging a screw 22, and the serews 22 are connected by bevel gearing 23, 24 to a common shaft 25 connected to a reversible electric 'motor 26. The' arrangement is such that operation of the motor 26 causes the brackets 18 to be jointly raised or lowered as may be required. Figs. l, 3 show the brackets 18 in the vlowermost position, but Fig. 3 also shows in chain'- dotted lines the position of the brackets 18 during withdrawal thereonto of the tool 14.

Below the opening 17 there is secured to the'ol'ltsidev of i the frame an upwardly facing half-bearing 28, and a like half-bearing 29 is provided on a supporting structure 30. 'I'he bea-rings 28, 29 are situated on a common axis extending parallel to the direction in which the tool `14 is withdrawable from the platen 11 and' in a position below the level at which the chase is withdrawable from the platen 11.

The tool 114 is of rectangular form as defined by longitudinal and transverse edge portions denoted 14a and 14b respectively and it is apparent that the tool 14 is withdrawable from the platen 11 in the direction of the longitudinal edge portions 14a.

The tool 14 is provided with a pair of trunnions 31, 32 extending from the edge portions 14b on an axis rnedially between and parallel to the edge portions 14a, the trunnions 31, 32 being so positioned that when the plate 14 is lowered by operation of the motor 26 the trunnions 31, 32 become seated in the bearings 28, 29. Fig. 8 shows the position of the brackets 18' when the tool 14 has engaged the bearings 28, 29Abut is still supported on the rollers 18a. Further lowering of the brackets 18 brings the rollers 18a away from the plate 14 so that the latter is then solely supported by the bearings 28,29 and is pivotally movable about the trunnion axis, this being the position shown in Figs. 1, 3. After the tool 14 has been turned over, the brackets 18 are raised again until the rollers 18a just engage the tool 14 thereby lto secure the latter against accidental rotation.

It will be appreciated that being operationally downwardly facing, the working face of the forme 16 would not be easily accessible for inspection and maintenance by mere withdrawal of the tool 14. It isdesirable to turn 3 the tool 14 over so that the working face of the forme 16 is accessible from above.

As shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8, the half-bearings 29 are each defined by two adjacent pins 44 upstanding in spaced apart relationship from a plate 45 secured to the top end of the pillar 37. Figs. 2, 6 show that the half-bearing 28 is similarly constructed by pins 46 secured to a plate 47 in turn secured to the frame 12.

The half-bearings 28, 29 are situated at a height above floor level which is convenient for working on the forme 16, say about 3 foot 6 inches. It should be understood that the height of the platens 11, 11a is suchthat if the tool 14' were merely withdrawn and not lowered,

the forme 16 would not be conveniently accessible without the operator standing on a raised platform. In this connection it will be appreciated that the extent by which the tool plate 14 projects from the frame 12 when in the inoperative position is roughly equal to the width of the press as defined by the distance between the frames 12, 13. As a result, if the tool plate 14 were not lowered and a raised platform were provided instead, such a platform would have to extend from the frame 12 by an' amount roughly equal to the width of the press and by virtue of its size the platform would have to be a permanent installation. This means that desirable gangway alongside the press would be obstructed and the press would in effect be twice as wide as the width between the frames 12 13.

In order that the brackets 18 and the structure 30 themselves do not obstruct said gangway both are constructed to be retractable in a manner now to be described.

The brackets 18 are connected to the slides 19 by pivot pins 33 (Figs. 2, 5, 8) so that the brackets 18 can be hingedly moved in the direction of the arrows 34 (Fig. 5) into mutually overlapping positions flat against the frame 12..

The structure 30 comprises an arm 35 one end of which is hingedly connected to bearings 36 secured to the frame V12 While the other end of the arm 35 has secured thereto a pillar 37 to which is pivoted by means of a pin 38 (Figs. 4, 7) one end of a strut 39 the other end of which is connected by means of a withdrawable pin 4t) (Fig. 8) to bearings 41 secured to the frame 12. Assuming the tool plate 14 to have been returned into its operative position on the platen 11, then if the pin 40 is withdrawn the strut 39 canbe pivoted about the pin 38 into a position at against the arm 35 and the latter can be pivoted about its hinged connection on the bearings 36 in the direction ofthe arrow 42 (Fig. 5) into a position flat against the frame 12 as shown in chain-dotted lines in Figs. 1, 5. When connected to the bearings 41 the strut 39 operates to prevent accidental rotation of the arm 35 about the bearings 36. The pillar 37 is provided at its bottom end with a wheel 43 -for supporting the pillar 37 on the oor, and it will be seen that said half-bearing 29 is provided at the top end of the pillar 36.

Referring again to the desirability for gangway alongside the press, such gangway is particularly required when the tool 14 is brought along to the press in the iirst instance. This is best done by means of a truck on which the tool is supported and which is so dimensioned that the edge portions 14a overhang the sides of the truck. The truck is then wheeled into position between the brackets 18 with the latter being in their lowermost position so that the rollers 18a are situated below the edge port-ions 14a as overhanging the sides of the truck. Raising of the brackets then results in the tool 14 being picked up from the truck and moved to the level in which it is insertable into the operative position on the platen 1l. The reverse sequence of action is employed when the tool 14 is to be removed from the press. During the procedure described the structure 30 is of course arranged to be in the retracted position. It will be seen that the use of a truck in the manner described .would be impossible in the presence alongside the press of the kind of raised platform hereinbefore referred to because the platform would impede the approach of the truck to the position between the brackets 18 and manual transfer of the tool 14 from the truck to the brackets 18 or vice versa would become necessary.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A press for working on sheets comprising a frame, a platen situated at one side being the inside of said iframe, a substantially plate-shaped tool connectable to the platen in an operative position thereon and at a first level determined by the platen, the tool being withdrawable from the platen in a horizontal direction into an inoperative position at the other side being the outside of said frame, a pair of iirst supporting members connected to the frame and extending at the outside thereof in a position to support the tool during withdrawal and in the withdrawn position, elevator means for lowering and raising said first supporting members thereby to move the 4tool as supported thereon between said iirst level and a second lower level, a pair of second supporting members connected to the frame and dimensioned to support the tool between them at said second level, said elevator means being operable to lower the tool onto said second supporting members or raise the tool therefrom, and means for supporting the tool on said second supporting members for pivotal motion therebetween about an axis parallel to the direction in which the tool is withdrawable from said platen.

2. A press according to claim l, said tool being dimensioned to deiine thereon two opposite longitudinal edge portions extending in the direction of withdrawal of the tool from the platen, and said first supporting members extending away from the platen in the direction of withdrawal of the tool, and said irst supporting members being dimensioned to be engaged by said edge portions during said withdrawal and in said withdrawn position of the tool.

3. A press according to claim. l, each of said iirst supporting members being movable from said extending position into a retracted position wherein said members lie transversely to said direction of withdrawal of the tool and in a position adjacent said platen.

4. A press according to claim l, said elevator means comprising two vertical screws situated one adjacent each of said supporting members, a nut connected to each supporting member and engaging the adjacent one of the screws, and means for simultaneously rotating the screws.

5. A press according to claim l, said tool being dimensioned to deiine thereon two opposite longitudinal edge portions extending in the direction of said withdrawal and two opposite transverse edge portions extending at right angles to said longitudinal edge portions, said means for connecting the tool to said second support means comprising a pair of trunnions provided on the tool and a corresponding pair of upwardly facing halfbearings provided on the respective second supporting members, said trunnions being secured to said transverse edge portions of the tool and lying on a common axis extending substantially rnedially between and parallel to said longitudinal edge portions, and said half-bearings being positioned to receive the trunnions when the tool is lowered.

6. A press according to claim 5, one of said second supporting members comprising an arm one end of which is connected to the frame in a position adjacent thc platen and extending away from the frame for the other end to be situated in a position below that occupied by one of said trunnions being the trunnion lying remote from the platen when the tool is in the withdrawn position, one of said half-bearings being connected to said other end of the arm.

7. A press according to claim 6, wherein said other end of the arm is provided with means for being supported on a floor surface. 1

5 n 8. A press according to claim 6, said arm being mov- Referencns ieff in he file of his patent Libie frlm Saite;1 extendedt position into ai rtractd dposi- UNITED STATES PATENTS ion w erein e arm eX enna ransverse y o sai nec- OII Of Withdrawal 0f the tool and in a position adjacent 2:333y097 Duboc et al NOV. 2, 1943 Said platen. 5 Zgg lmefoil /ay d' 0 2, agnam an. i 9 A Press accor 111g t0 clann 8, compnsma a mem 2,904,198 Golding u Sept. 15, 1959 ber connectabie to support the arm in the extended position and against movement into the retracted position. 

